Why I am disappointed.

In my first post I said that I was disappointed. How?

Well, I read in the Bible of a Church that was so full of God's presence and power. Where people saw His glory and repented of their sin, received eternal life and were healed.

I read of a depth of fellowship in the Acts of the Apostles where believers had such love and commitment for one another.

I become aware of a Church life which, although not perfect, had a beautiful simplicity about it.

I see a body of believers who were making a vital impact on the society in which they lived.

In contrast, today I see a Church which - in the West at least - seems to have comparatively little experience of God's presence and power. We say that God is with us - so why are we able to remain standing rather than fall on our faces before Him? And where is God's healing power? We pray for the sick and so often they do not appear to be healed.

I see today a level of fellowship which can appear to be based on what is convenient rather than on true Christian love. Have I got time for this person? Are they too messy? What will it cost me?

We seem to have many grand buildings, but many are nearly empty. I see all sorts of eccesiastical titles and robes which I do not see in the New Testament. We have in place various complicated Church structures and practices, but where is the fruit of them?

And where is our impact on society? In the United Kingdom there is an alarming lack of knowledge of Christianity, and my newspaper sometimes seems to stand up for the Church more than the Church itself does.

Where is our voice in these Godless times? Are we stifling God's voice? Are we frightened of speaking out, or do we act as though God has nothing to say?

The New Testament standard of Church life has not just been limited to Biblical times. It has been found to varying degrees throughout the twenty centuries of Christian history. There are places in the world today (such as China) where the story of the Church reads like something in the book of Acts.

But how many of us can say that we experience that in Europe or North America? Our level of Christianity seems to be pretty low to me.

However, I am now hearing about and meeting people who are hungry for more. And that gives me hope. Hope that we might be waking up as God stirs us. Hope that we can once again see God's glory in our midst. I believe it can happen. I believe God wants it to happen.

Will you join me on a quest for more? Will you refuse to accept bland Christianity? Will you seek first God's Kingdom and His righteousness, and not cease to cry out to the Lord until He visits us?